Leon thomas



pose quietly.

Patented May 16, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

LEON THOMAS, or PARIS, FRANCE.

EXPLOSIVE COMPOSITION- SPEOIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,089, dated May 16, 1905.

Application filed February 23, 1904. Serial No. 191L918.

To ctZZ whom, it TW/CLZ/ concern:

Be it known that I, LnoN THOMAS, engineer,

a citizen of the French Republic, residing at The inventionconsists in using in the manu-.

facture of the various kinds of dynamite solid nitrated derivatives of aromatic compounds, most of whichhave a melting-pointlower than 100 centigrade, such as dinitrobenzene, trinitrobenzene, paranitrobenzene, dinitrotoluene, and trinitrotoluene, and also their isomers. These nitrated hydrocarbons are soluble in nitroglycerin and can be used with advantage in the manufacture of dynamite, the desirable qualities of which they do not alter, while they impart to it new and beneficial properties. They attenuate the excess of sensitiveness of nitroglycerin, and thus render the manufacture,transport,and use of dynamite much safer than hitherto. Thus under the influence of an increase of temperature the explosives obtained by the addition of the aforesaid derivatives to nitroglycerin and dynamite decom- They resist the shock, for instance, of iron on iron, but are exploded by means of a detonator-cap filled with fulminate of mercury.

A preferred specific composition embodying the features of the invention is as follows: nitroglycerin, fifty; dinitrotoluene, ten,

(fusible at 20. centigrade, obtained by mixing dinitrotoluenes made by nitrifying nitrotoluene;) nitrocellulose, 3.5; saltpeter, 30.8; cellulose, 5.5; soda, 0.2.

The influence of the aforesaid nitrated de rivatives on the freezing-point of nitroglycerin is remarkable. The freezing-point of commercial nitroglycerin (which is +8 centigrade) may be lowered to 20 centigrade, when some of the isomers of the aforesaid substances are dissolved in nitroglycerinsuch as, for instance, dinitrotoluene and trinitrotoluene. Aproportion of from five to ten per cent. will secure the desired result.

The aforesaid nitrated hydrocarbons introduced into the explosive have a permanent and effectual action, which is not the case with many of the substanceshitherto proposedsuch as mononitrobenzene, carbolic and acetic acids, naphthalene, alcohols, and ethersas these substances have but a temporary action, owing to their volatility, and injuriously afitect the principal qualities of dynamite, as they decrease its power and sensitiveness considerably, and the stability of the explosive is injured through the oozing of the nitroglycerin,which oozingis caused by the fluidity and the too active dissolving power of the last named substances. The aforesaid substances or compounds increase, on the contrary, the explosive power of the explosives containing oxidizing substances, (gelignite,) and their influence is of a permanent nature, owing to the low pressure of their vapors.

Moreover, the isomers which I propose to employ are not'poisonous like the substances already proposed, which are either poisonous in themselves or become poisonous by setting the nitroglycerin free, as is the case when alcohols and others are used.

Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my invention and in what manner it may be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. An explosive compound consisting of nitroglycerin, dinitrotoluene, nitrocellulose, saltpeter, cellulose, and soda, in, or about, the proportions mentloned.

2. An explosive compound, consisting of A nitroglycerin having admixed therewith dinitrotoluene fusible at 20 centigrade and obtained by nitrifying nitrotoluene, saltpeter,

cellulose, and soda.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEON THOMAS. Witnesses:

HANSON C. Coxn, PAUL BLUM. 

